Uttarakhand forest fire: Bio-grease, bio-resin made from pine leaves ‘Pirul’ would help in stopping migration

Dehradun: Pirul is a local term used in Uttarakhand to refer to products made from pine needles of pine trees. These dried pine trees are highly inflammable and catch fire very soon, particularly in dry season and are a significant cause of forest fires in the upper Himalayan regions. Now, the main culprit behind the spread of forest fire, Pirul would be used in saving the forests and helping in curbing the migration, as per the research of Pantnagar University.

Valuable bio-grease and bio-resin (adhesive) from Pirul

According to research conducted in Pantnagar university, Pirul (pine leaves) will not only save the forest, it will also strengthen the economic condition of the villagers which can definitely help in curbing migration in the hills. A scientist and researcher of GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Tarannum Jahan, under the guidance of senior scientists, has successfully conducted experiments to make valuable bio-grease and bio-resin (adhesive) from Pirul. The Pantnagar university has completed the formalities to patent it and has sold both these technologies (non-exclusively) to a Gujarat based company Green Molecules.

Pirul can help in saving forest

The increased requirement of Pirul and increase in prices will help the Villagers to earn a significant amount of money, helping in control of forest fire spread. According to Tarannum Jahan, scientist of the biochemistry department of the Pantnagar University, About 2.06 million tonnes of pine leaves (Pirul) are produced every year in 3.4 lakh hectares in Uttarakhand. The grease derived from pine needles serves as a lubricant for ball bearings in machines. Pine needles contain natural resins that can be extracted and processed into bio-resin. This bio-resin has applications in various industries, including woodworking.

Pollution will also reduce

When used for pasting plywood, it provides an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic adhesives. Bio-resin-based plywood can be more sustainable and less harmful to the environment. This technology will also reduce pollution in the environment.

Uttarakhand government has launched the “Pirul Lao-Paise Pao” campaign

To address this issue, the Uttarakhand government has launched the “Pirul Lao-Paise Pao” campaign. Under this initiative, the government encourages people to collect pine needles (pirul) from the forests. In return, they receive monetary compensation. The recent price set for purchasing pirul is ₹50 per kilogram. This campaign aims to reduce forest fires by incentivizing the collection of pine needles and preventing their accumulation in the forests.